Vertebrobasilar circulatory disorders are conditions in which blood supply to the back of the brain is disrupted.

Two vertebral arteries join to form the basilar artery. These are the main blood vessels that provide blood flow to the back of the brain.

The areas in the back of the brain that receive blood from these arteries are needed to keep a person alive. These areas control breathing, heart rate, swallowing, vision, movement, and posture or balance. All of the nervous system signals that connect the brain to the rest of the body pass through the back of the brain.

Many different conditions may reduce or stop blood flow in the back part of the brain. The most common are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and a high cholesterol level. These are similar to the risk factors for any stroke.

Other causes include:

Tear in the wall of an artery

Blood clots in the heart that travel to the vertebrobasilar arteries and cause a stroke

Blood vessel inflammation

Connective tissue diseases

Problems in the spinal bones of the neck

Outside pressure on the vertebrobasilar arteries, such as from a salon sink (nicknamed beauty parlor syndrome)

Symptoms

Common symptoms may include:

Difficulty pronouncing words, slurred speech

Difficulty swallowing

Double vision or vision loss

Numbness or tingling, most often on the face or scalp

Sudden falls (drop attacks)

Vertigo (sensation of things spinning around)

Memory loss

Other symptoms may include:

Bladder or bowel control problems

Difficulty walking (unsteady gait)

Headache

Hearing loss

Muscle weakness

Nausea and vomiting

Neck ache

Pain in one or more parts of the body, which gets worse with touch and cold temperatures

Taking blood-thinning drugs, such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), or clopidogrel (Plavix) to lower the risk for stroke

Changing your diet

Medicine to lower cholesterol and better control blood pressure

Exercising

Losing weight

Stopping smoking

Outlook (Prognosis)

The outlook depends on:

The amount of brain damage

What body functions have been affected

How quickly you get treatment

How quickly you recover

Each person has a different recovery time and need for long-term care. Problems with moving, thinking, and talking often improve in the first weeks or months. Some people will keep improving for months or years.

Possible Complications

Complications of vertebrobasilar circulatory disorders are stroke and its complications. These include:

Breathing (respiratory) failure (which may require the use of a machine to help the person breathe)